Washington Warns Of Scammers Promising Coronavirus Vaccine

OLYMPIA, WA — There's a new pandemic scam going around, this one promising to get the coronavirus vaccine early for anyone who is willing to pay up.

The Department of Emergency is sounding the alarm, saying they've received several reports of scammers contacting people and promising them the COVID-19 vaccine in return for money. They say, that's not how the vaccine distribution works, and they're warning everyone to stay wary of scammers trying to take advantage of uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.

This isn't the first round of coronavirus-related scams, and experts say they're likely to keep coming, so it's important to stay vigilant against scammers trying to exploit the pandemic for cash or personal information.

Here are a few tips from the Better Business Bureau on how to spot a COVID-19 vaccine scam:

• Research carefully. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Double check any information the scammer offers about the vaccine against official sources. Know that the vaccine is not being sold online or in stores.
• Check with your doctor. If you think you qualify to receive the vaccine early, your health care provider will know best how and where to get vaccinated. Your local health department may also be a good resource if you're concerned.
• Ignore calls for immediate action. Scammers will often try to hustle people into bad decisions by pretending the situation is urgent, or that the offer may expire soon. Instead, take a step back and consider what you're signing up for.
• Double check the URL. Scam websites can be really tricky, and scammers will often buy official-looking URLs for their cons, but they usually have a tell. The agency's name might be misspelled, or they might not have the right ending. For example, all real government websites should end the URL with ".gov". If you're unsure if the site you're on is legit, just search for the agency online.

Finally, Washington state is reminding everyone that they will not call and demand money for coronavirus treatments and won't call or text about checks from the government. Ignore any online offers for vaccinations or home test kits, and beware of emails pretending to be from the CDC or WHO.

Find more tips for avoiding coronavirus-related scams on the Washington State Coronavirus Response website.